Ah, Bigsound. A three-day whirl of hangovers, catch-ups, and far too many great bands to catch all at once. This year’s instalment was as fine as ever, a killer showcase of the country’s best in class.
Read on to find out who we thought absolutely slayed their sets at Bigsound 2019.
Nursing your very own post-Bigsound headache? Check out who caught our eye at Australia’s biggest emerging music showcase.
Private Function
Out of all the artists we saw this year, Private Function were without a doubt the wildest. The Melbourne-based punks threw out every trick in the book, from lighting their shirts on fire to diving off the stage with a bass guitar held underfoot like a skateboard – before smashing it to bits.
If you’re into the kind of show that has drinks flying and people literally hanging off the roof, get yourself down to a Private Function gig. Bring your mouthguard.
Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers
Whenever anybody at Bigsound mentioned Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers this year, they’d say two things; “best band name in Australia” and “amazing act” – or some paraphrasing of the latter.
Hailing from Canberra, there’s no arguing against the next-big-thing vibe of this four-piece. Some seriously tight indie tunes are coming out of this corner, so you best pay attention.
Gordon Koang
Gordon Koang has been releasing a few tunes via Music In Exile, a non-profit dedicated to providing resources for asylum seekers and refugee musicians in Australia. His set, comprised of traditional Neur rhythms and call-out vocals, had us grinning ear-to-ear from start to finish.
Koang currently has a few records to his name plus a couple of shows coming up in Melbourne and Adelaide – we can’t recommend checking him out enough.
100
100 have been kicking around Sydney for some time now, earning their keep playing local shows around the inner west as well as landing a few festival spots. Their debut EP Cortisone is but a taste of what their live energy is like – it’s something to behold.
This Bigsound they played three showcases, each garnering a sizeable crowd. Their reach is already extending beyond Sydney, so don’t miss them when if they happen to play a gig near you.
The Lazy Eyes
We’ve been across The Lazy Eyes since our first Needle In The Hay vinyl competition, but the last six months or so have seen the young Sydney psych rockers kick some serious goals – of which Bigsound was definitely one.
Recently their music has been scrubbed from Soundcloud, the universal music industry signifier of “we’re doing some real cool shit, real soon”. So watch this space.
